Elastic stocking.



No. 788,996. PATENTED MAY 2, 1905.

w. BUTTGERIJR.

ELASTIC STOCKING.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 4,1902.

SPEGIMENS NITED STATES Patented May 2, 1905.

PATENT ()FFICE.

VVILHELM BOTTGER, JR, OF APOLDA, GERMANY, ASSIGNOR OF TWO- THIRDS TO ALBERT LEHRIOH, OF BERLIN, GERMANY, AND WIL- LIAM DOBERMANN, OF SOHENEOTADY, NEW YORK.

ELASTIC STOCKING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 788,996, dated May 2, 1905.

Application filed June 4,1902. Serial No. 110,246. s ecimens.)

T0 rtZZ whom, it ntcty concern.-

Be it known that I, WILHELM BOTTGER, Jr., a subject of the Emperor of Germany, residing in Apolda,Grand Duchy of SaXe-Weimar- Eisenach, Empire of Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Elastic Stockings, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to such improvements; and it consists of the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafter described and subsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, and the reference characters marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Similar characters refer to similar parts in both figures.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a view in outline of a stocking, partly elastic and partly inelastic, showing a portion of my improved fabric in detail. Fig. 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the manner in which the elastic and inelastic portions of the fabricare formed in accordance with my invention.

The principal object of my invention is to produce a knitted fabric having a high degree of elasticity in connection with other qualities rendering the same desirable for surgical use.

My invention consists of an improved knitted fabric or article formed by interweaving by means of a series of loops two separate threads, one of fibrous material and the other of elastic material, in such a manner that the several loops consist'each of said two threads.

I make no claim in this application to the method whereby said fabric is made, as the same forms the subject-matter of another application filed by me January 5, 1905, Serial No. 239,747.

In carrying out my invention I employ for the formation of an elastic fabric a thread 6, consisting wholly of fibrous material, and a thread 8, comprising a core t of elastic material and a fibrous covering therefor formed by a fibrous thread 5, which is wound around said core. The two threads 6 and 8 are maintained side by side or parallel, in which position they are incorporated into fabric by interknitting in a known manner, as by aseries of interlocked loops in the well-known manner of making knitted fabrics, as is well understood in the art.

I have shown in the drawings a portion of fabric 2, formed by interlocking loops of the parallel threads 6 and 8. Fabric so formed is highly elastic bothlongitudinally and transversely and has great strength, body, and firmness due to the reinforcement of the elastic core by the covering of fibrous material, which also serves to protect the elastic core.

When employed for surgical use, the improved fabric presents only a surface of fibrous material for contact with the body of the patient, the same being more satisfactory and agreeable to the touch than exposed rubber or similar elastic material.

The presence of the wholly fibrous thread 6 parallel with the elastic thread limits the degree to which the fabric can be stretched without injury to the elasticity of the core of the elastic thread and also serves to give body and firmness to the fabric.

The manner of constructing the fabric by means of a plurality of parallel threads, one of which has an elastic core provided with a fibrous covering, makes it possible to produce a fabric partly elastic and partly inelastic without seriously interfering with the knitting operation; To secure such a fabric, the knitting operation is continued with the threads 6 and 8 until the desired amount of elastic fabric has been produced, whereupon the elastic thread is omitted and the knitting operation is continued with a fibrous thread substituted for said elastic thread or by using the wholly fibrous thread 6 alone.

In Fig. 2 of the drawings, 7 represents a wholly fibrous thread from which the inelastic portion 3 of the fabric is made.

In knitting fabric by my improved method I relieve the elastic thread of tension and subject the fibrous thread to comparatively strong tension. The reaction of the fibrous thread serves to impart to the fabric great firmness, while at the same time the looped construction permits the fabric to be forcibly expanded both longitudinally and transversely. The resultant fabric is free from any tendency to pucker or curl.

By knitting the two threads together in the manner above described it is possible to make regular or fashioned elastic articles which are uniformly elastic longitudinally and transversely throughout the article or the elastic portion thereof, a construction which is impossible by the ordinary method of weaving by means of Warp-and-Woof threads.

My improved fabric is adapted for the manufacture of stockings, abdominal belts, gloves, bandages, and various other articles particularly adapted for surgical use, and my inven' ering for the elastic core of the elastic thread, which core is preferably made of rubber.

I prefer silk for the fibrous material.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A knitted elastic fabric having the meshes or loops thereof severally formed of an elastic thread and an inelastic thread. i

2. A knitted elastic fabric having the meshes or loops thereof severally formed of a plurality of threads,one composed wholly of fibrous material and another of a core of elastic materlial inclosed in a covering of fibrous mater1a 3. A knitted fashioned article, the fabric loops of which are severally formed of a plurality of threads one wholly fibrous and the other elastic.

4. A surgical compression-bandage knitted in seamless tubular form in the desired shape from a highly-elastic thread and a comparatively inelastic fibrous thread in the form of double loops or meshes.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 12th day of May, 1902.

WILHELM BOTTGER, JR.

Witnesses:

FRIEDRICH ZoLLNER, RUDOLF GRENzDoRFER. 

